Today’s the day. After many rumors, and the folks over at Android Police teasing us, Hangouts 4.0 is finally on its way. Google has started rolling out the re-designed Hangouts application to devices everywhere, and it’s only a matter of time before we get the update.
The newest version of Hangouts changes up a few things, and adds new functionalities, that were not previously available. First and foremost, is the addition of the FAB (Floating Action Button), which makes starting new conversations even easier. Previously, the new conversation button was hidden in the top right hand corner, but that is now changed.
The latest version of Hangouts also brings Google’s Material Design UI. Surprisingly, Hangouts hasn’t been really updated to reflect the Material Design guidelines, but it’s now here with version 4.0.
Here’s the official Changelog from Google for Hangouts 4.0:
- Hangouts is sleeker. Now updated with material design, Hangouts has a new look and feel: items respond to your touch in more intuitive ways and transitions between tasks are more fluid.
- Hangouts is simpler. The new Compose button makes it easier for you to start a new group or conversation. Our streamlined contacts list helps you find the right person quickly. And attachments have been revamped and simplified, so sharing—of emoji, GIFs, your location, even multiple photos at once—is a snap.
- Hangouts is faster. Whether you’re sending a quick message or video chatting with family, you don’t want hold-ups. We’ve been obsessively fixing bugs and speeding up message delivery to make Hangouts faster and more reliable. Bonus: less battery consumption.
As we stated above, the update should be rolling out to your devices today, so it’s just a matter of playing the waiting game. If you’ve already gotten your hands on the latest update, let us know what you think about the changes that Google has made.
Source: Android Police via: Google Blog
